- Craig McWhinney is a Melbourne house and techno producer best-known for his work alongside fellow Australians Mike Callander and Christian Vance. They make a formidable team, but to me McWhinney has always been the pick of the three, specialising in a swung, DJ-friendly style suited to a variety of sets and selectors. He's still a relatively unknown name internationally, with just a handful of overseas dates and releases. Somewhere along the line, though, he caught the ear of Patrik Skoog, whose Sample + Hold label recently began with one of the best techno 12-inches of last year, Skoog's SH01. McWhinney's SH02 is another quality release for a label that's cementing itself as one to watch.
Like SH01, the mood on SH02 is gloomy, although this one also sounds sinister. It's a quality that makes it a little less versatile than most tool-techno, but it should be dangerous in the right hands. Heavily broken beats are the main feature of the EP's two standout cuts. "Silent Witness" is the most spacious, with heavy reverb and lots of weight down low, while "Death Unites Us (CSH Reprise)" is more abrasive. Those playing at peak-time will likely reach for "Corner Shop Hex" or "Agent Of Change." Both tracks are galloping and bass-heavy—prime material for DJs unafraid to inject some gloom into a party.
TracklistA1 Corner Shop Hex
A2 Death Unites Us (CSH Reprise)
B1 Silent Witness
B2 Agent Of Change